Johns and Jones to Play in Touch Football Charity Match at Auckland Nines

Rugby League greats Andrew Johns and Stacey Jones will come out of ‘retirement’ this weekend in the name of charity at the inaugural 2014 Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines. Johns and Jones will pull on the boots once again to raise funds for NZ charity, The Rising Foundation, when they line up in the first Beko Media Stars Touch Football match between New Zealand and Australia to be played prior to the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines final at Eden Park on Sunday, 16 February. The nine-a-side charity Touch Football match will see a select group of former players now working in the Australian and New Zealand media being joined by print, radio and television reporters. The match will be played over two nine-minute halves in front of a crowd of more than 46,000. Johns will be joined in the Australian side by former Test players Gorden Tallis and Danny Buderus, and ex-premiership winning players Brett Finch (NSW Origin) and Steve Turner.The New Zealand side will feature former Kiwi internationals in Jones, Richie Barnett, Monty Betham and Wairangi Koopu.Home appliance brand, Beko, will sponsor the media match with the aim of trying to raise $20,000 for The Rising Foundation. Beko will donate $2,000 to The Rising Foundation for each try scored in the media match. The Rising Foundation was established by a group of former South Auckland children with an aim to assisting at-risk-youth to develop to their full potential. Chairman John Bongard said these children in New Zealand are on the verge of being lost to their families, schools and community. “The Foundation does this through developing pathways, involving parents, schools and other agencies using outdoor education programs, one to one mentoring and group therapy,’’ Mr Bongard said.Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle is on The Rising Foundation Board. Australian team (not in playing numbers)1. Andrew Johns, Captain, (Rugby League Week ‘Immortal’)2. Gorden Tallis (Qld Origin, Australia)3. Brett Finch (NSW Origin)4. Danny Buderus (NSW Origin, Australia)5. Steve Turner (ex Melbourne/Bulldogs premiership winning winger)6. Brent Read (reporter, The Australian)7. Michael Chammas (reporter, Sydney Morning Herald)8. Josh Massoud (reporter, The Daily Telegraph)9. David Riccio (reporter, The Daily Telegraph)10. Pat Molihan (reporter, Channel 7)11. Shannon Byrne (reporter, ABC Radio)12. Steve Hart (reporter, Fox Sports News)13. Tony Adams (reporter, RLW’s ‘The Mole’)NZ Team List (not in playing numbers)1. Stacey Jones, Captain, (Sky Sport, ex NZ Test player) 2. Sam Ackerman (reporter, TV 3 News)3. Richie Barnett (reporter, NZ Herald/SKY TV, ex NZ Test player)4. Jenny May Coffin (reporter, TV 1 News, ex Silver Fern netball player)5. Monty Betham (SKY Sport, ex NZ Test player)6. Wairangi Koopu (Sky Sport/Maori TV, ex NZ Test player)7. Karl Te Nana (reporter, SKY TV/ Maori TV, ex NZ Sevens player)8. Sam Ackerman (reporter, TV 3 News)9. Nickson Clark (Mai FM breakfast host)10. Sam Wallace (TV 1 Breakfast)11. James McConie (Prime TV)12. Bryce Casey (The Rock Breakfast host)13. Dominic Harvey (The Edge Breakfast host) Referee: Stephen Killgallon (Fairfax Media, ex Test international referee)To learn more about Beko Home Appliances, click here:http://www.beko.com.au/ To learn more about The Rising Foundation, click here:http://www.therisingfoundation.org.nz/about_us/To keep up-to-date with all of the latest news and results from the Auckland Nines, please click on the link below. http://www.nrl.com/DrawResults/AucklandNines/tabid/11376/Default.aspx 2014 Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines February 15 – 16, Eden Park, AucklandTwitter/FacebookNRL Nines is on Twitter and Facebook @NRLAkl9s #DickSmith9sDick Smith is on Twitter and Facebook @DickSmithAU #DickSmith9’sRelated LinksAuckland Nines Touch